Collected Illustrations of the Three Realms: Biographies and Portraits

The King destroyed the Liang and ascended the imperial throne; the national title was Tang. Claiming to inherit the legacy of the [original] Tang dynasty, the regime adopted the Virtue of Earth. The capital was established at Ye and later moved to Luo. The dynasty began with Emperor Zhuangzong in the guiwei year when he destroyed the Liang and took the throne, and it ended with the Prince of Lu in the bingshen year. In total, there were four rulers from three different family lines, spanning fourteen years. Shi Jingtang eventually destroyed the dynasty.
The "guiwei" year is 923 CE; the "bingshen" year is 936 CE. The "Virtue of Earth" refers to the Five Elements theory used to legitimate a new dynasty's spiritual authority. "Ye" refers to Yecheng (near modern Handan) and "Luo" refers to Luoyang.

Zhuangzong

Surnamed Li, named Cunxu; his childhood name was Yazi. He was the eldest son of Li Keyong, the Prince of Jin. He succeeded his father as the Prince of Jin, destroyed the Liang dynasty, and took the imperial throne. Later, the actor-official Guo Congqian led a rebellion; the Emperor was struck by a stray arrow and passed away. He reigned for three years and lived to the age of thirty-three. He used one era name: Tongguang, for three years.

Mingzong

Originally named Siyuan, he later changed his name to Dan. He was the adopted son of Li Keyong, the Prince of Jin. He was commissioned to suppress a rebel army at Ye. Following the assassination of Emperor Zhuangzong, he entered Luoyang and took the imperial throne for himself. He reigned for eight years and lived to the age of sixty-seven. He used two era names: Tiancheng for four years and Changxing for four years.

Emperor Min

Named Conghou, he was the second son of Emperor Mingzong. He had been on the throne for only three months when the Prince of Lu raised an army. The Emperor fled to Shanzhou and then to Weizhou, where he was soon murdered by the Prince of Lu’s followers.

Prince of Lu

Named Congke, he was an adopted son of Emperor Mingzong, born to the Wang family. While serving as the Military Governor of Fengxiang, he raised an army, entered Luoyang, assassinated Emperor Min, and took the throne. When Shi Jingtang led the Khitan a powerful nomadic empire to the north cavalry to Heyang, the Prince and his entire family committed suicide by self-immolation. He reigned for three years and lived to the age of fifty-one. He used one era name: Qingtai.